Embroidering machine



Sept. 29, 1.953 E. GERBER E 2,653,556

EMBROIDERING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1951 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

Sept. 29, 1953 E. GERBER EMBROIDERING MACHINE 4 She ets-Sheet 4 Filed July 28, l95l .8 E =iql Patented Sept. 29, 1 953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMBROIDERING MACHINE Buenos Aires, Argentina Application July 28, 1951, Serial No. 239,065

18 Claims. (01. 112-84) My present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in embroidering machines, and more particularly refers to an improved mechanically operated embroidering machine capable of employing usual sewing or embroidering needles for mechanically executing embroidery works in the same manner as handw-orked em'broideries are made by women.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 135,923 I have described an embroidering machine of this nature wherein, however, mechanical embroidering hands are operated by electro-magnetic means and wherein the electro-magnetic coils and their movable core structures may be incor porated in said embroidering hands. Such an arrangement is not always advantageous not only in as far as the construction of the embroidering hands is concerned, but also with. regard to the operation of the machine for depending entirely upon the electric current supplied and upon the voltage uniformity of the latter.

The main object of my present invention now is to provide an improved embroidering machine, wherein at least one pair and conveniently a number of pairs of cooperating embroidering hands are mechanically operated in every respect by means of a driving mechanism and controlled by a hand-operated clutch provided in said driving mechanism, with the advantageous result that all movements of the movable parts of the machine and more particularly of the embroidering hands are at any time under perfect control of the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved embroidering machine, wherein the co-operating mechanical embroidering hands are slidably mounted. as units on removable and adjustable support and guide members, the arrangement being such that the co-operating embroidering hands in any case may be positioned in accordance with a given pattern size to be embroidered and are nevertheless always in perfect working conditions so as to produce an exact embroidery work.

Another important object of the invention is to provide in the improved embroidering machine p-airs of improved co-operating mechanical embroidering hands which comprise a rotative needle holder formed by two co-operating short shafts, of which only one is axially slidable, and spring-loaded lever means acting upon said slidable short shaft so as to permit for opening and closing of the needle holder. The feature of the slidable arrangement of but one the short shafts which form the needle holder considerably simplifies the structure of the embroidering hands.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanical embroidering hand, wherein the needle holder has the abutting surfaces of the short shafts forming the same provided with coinciding transverse grooves capable of forming together a channel for receiving the embroidering needle and with not coinciding vertical grooves in such an arrangement that the teeth formed between adjacent grooves of one shaft surface engage the grooves of the opposite shaft surface, with the advantageous results that not only a sure grip of the needle in the said channel, but that also needles of different thickness may be efiiclently handled by the needle holder.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanical embroidering hand comprising a spring device for operating the control lever of the needle holder, said device being operatively' connected with a rack bar of the driving mechanism of the embroidering machine, with the advantageous result that the operation of the said control lever is made dependent upon the operation of the driving mechanism and that opening and closing of the needle holder is perfectly synchronized with the reciprocating movements of the embroidering hand.

An additional not less important object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanical embroidering hand as set forth in the preceding paragraph, wherein the said spring device comprises a strong pressure spring and a weal; pressure spring, these two springs operating together for causing the needle holder to firmly rasp the embroidering needle, whereas the weak pressure spring is operating alone to loosely grasp said needle and to permit the latter to be adjusted in said needle holder for a new stitch, the suppression of the action of the strong pressure spring being automatically effected in the correct moment in dependence from the reciprocating movements of the embroidering. hand and therewith from the operation of the driving mechanism of the embroidering machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanical embroidering hand as set forth, wherein the said spring device is slidably mounted and operatively connected with the afore-mentioned rack bar of the driving mechanism, sothat it may be moved by the latter to a position wherein the two coil springs of said spring device are ineffective and the control lever of the needle holder is caused by a third spring to permit opening of said needle holder, and withdrawal of the embroidering needle therefrom.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved embroidering hand as set forth, wherein the said spring device is slidably mounted and operatively connected through a coil spring with the afore-mentioned rack bar of the driving mechanism, with the advantageous result that the open needle holder as soon as it receives the embroidering needle and as soon as the driving mechanism of the machine is going to move the embroidering hand backwards, said needle holder will be instantaneously closed by the said coil spring i. e. in a moment in which the needle did not yet leave the co-operating embroidering hand, this feature being of particular importance in as far as a correct grasping of the embroidering needle by the needle holder is always ensured.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanical embroidering hand as set forth, having associated therewith a thread-pulling lever which is operated by the driving mechanism in perfect synchronism with the operation of the embroidering hand by means of a friction clutch and in such a manner that said thread-pulling lever may be stopped by the pulled thread at any position in accordance with the length of said thread.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved embroidering hand as set forth having associated therewith a thread-pulling lever which in addition to the said friction clutch in its backward or thread-pulling movement is operated by an oscillating arm provided with an elastic or elastically mounted pawl member, which advantageously increases the security of service of the thread-pulling device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved embroidering machine which for operating a number of pairs of co-operating mechanical embroidering hands comprises but one driving mechanism including a disk having two cam grooves cut into the material of the same and so arranged that by means of rack. bars provided each with a pin for engaging said cam grooves both the embroidering hands and the thread-pulling devices at opposite sides of a cloth to be embroidered are duly operated, with the advantageous result that the different simultaneous and/or successive operations of the cooperating embroidering hands and their associated thread-pulling levers are effected automaticall without any personal attention.

With these objects and advantageous features in view, the present invention comprises the arrangement, combination and construction of parts as will be hereinafter fully explained with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, which by way of example only illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and on which:

Figure 1 is a partly schematic side elevation of the improved embroidering machine with one pair of co-operating embroidering hands;

Figure 2 is a partly sectiona1 plan view on a larger scale of one of the embroidering hands with the associated thread pulling device;

Figure 2a is a fragmentary plan view showing on a larger scale the spring device of the embroidering hand according to Fig. 2;

Figure 3 shows the embroidering hand of Figwe 2 seen in the direction indicated by the arrow of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a front view of the embroidering hand as shown in Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective detail view of the needle holder of the embroidering hand;

Figure 6 is a detail view illustrating a pair of spring-loaded levers co-operating with a cam member of the needle holder;

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view along the line 1-1 of Figure 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the embroidering machine according to my present invention is intended to comprise a number of pairs of co-operating mechanical embroidering hands i (Figure 1) which are removably and adjustably mounted on pairs of cross bars 2 carried by a pair of side frames 3, of which only one is shown on the drawing. These side frames also carry in suitable bearings (not shown) two pairs of driving shafts 4 and 5. The two shafts 4 operate the embroidering hands I at both sides of the cloth to be embroidered '1', whereas the shafts 5 operate the thread-pulling levers 6 associated With the co-operating embroidering hands I. The side frame 3 shown in Figure 1 further carries an electric motor provided with a reduction gearing indicated at 8 which, for instance, by means of an electro-magnetic clutch or the like indicated at is and corresponding belts i0, II and pulley I2 operates a cam shaft l3. This shaft, which is suitably mounted in bearings (not shown) secured to the frame 3, carries a disk 14 of sufficient thickness so as to permit a pair of cam grooves i5, 16 to be cut into the disk material. At laterall opposite points from the cam shaft 13, the cam grooves l5, l6 are engaged by pins ll secured to pairs of racks [8, I9 meshing with corresponding toothed wheels 29, 2:. The toothed wheels 20 by means of pinions 22 operate the driving shafts which carry the pinions 23, one for each embroidering hand i, whereas the toothed wheels 2! by means of the respective pinions 24 operate the driving shafts 5 of the thread-pulling levers 6 as will be explained later on.

The embroidering machine according to the invention comprises at least one pair of co-operating mechanical embroidering hands, details of which have been clearly shown in Figures 2 to '7 of the accompanying drawings. With reference to these figures, each embroidering hand is slidably mounted on a support 25 and a guide member 26 which may be secured to or form part of said support and which is provided with a dovetail groove for receiving a corresponding part of guide plate 27 (Figure 4) of a frame 28 (Figure 3) which carries the component parts of the embroidering hand and of which form part a pair of arms 29. These arms at the free ends carry a needle holder formed by two short shafts 35, 38a rotatively mounted in suitable bearings provided in said arms. The abutting ends of the short shafts 39, 36a are each provided with a transverse groove so arranged that the two grooves form a small channel 3| (Figure 4) capable of receiving a usual sewing or embroidering needle 32 (Figures 2 and 3). In order to firmly grasp needles 32 of different thickness, the abutting end surfaces of the short shafts 39, 30a may be provided with vertical grooves 35 (Figure 5) in such an arrangement that the teeth formed between adjacent grooves of one shaft surface engages the grooves of the abutting shaft surface, thereby reducing the width of the channel 3| and enabling the same to firmlygrasp smaller needles, For opening the needle holder, the short shaft is axially slidable and the free end of its gudgeon 34a, (Figure 2) is in contact with a lever controlling the needle holder as will be described later on.

The gudgeons 34, 34a of the two short shafts 33, 35c, respectively, carry on the inner surfaces of the arms 29 a cam member 35 (Figure 6) each acted upon by a pair of spring-loaded levers 31 pivoted at 38 and pressed by the springs 39 against the cam member 35, and on the outer surfaces of the arms 23 a ratchet wheel (Figures 2-4). The ratchet wheels 40 (Bo-operate with spring loaded rack members 4| in such a manner that when the embroid'ering hand moves backwardsin Figure 3 from the left to the rightthe sta= tio'nary racks 4| cause the wheels 40 and therewith the two short shafts 30, 30a of the needle holder to rotate over an angle of more than 90. This rotation is completed to one half of a rotation by the co-operation of the spring-loaded levers 31 with the cam members 36. Thus each time the embroidering hand moves away from the cloth to be embroidered (Figure l), the needle holder is caused to move the embroidering needle 32 longitudinally over an angle 180.

During the reciprocating movements and more particularly during the rotation of an angle of 180, which takes place during each backward movement of the needle holder 39, 30a, the needle 32 has to be firmly grasped thereby i. e. the axially movable short shaft 35 has to be firmly pressed against the short shaft 39a. On the other hand, the needle 32 has to be loosely grasped by the needle holder at the end of the backward stroke of the latter for permitting an adjustment of the position of the needle in said holder in such a manner that the same is pushed forward between the shafts 35, 30a as has been shown in connection with the right embroidering hand in Figure 1. Finally, the needle holder has to be entirely released in its foremost position adjacent the cloth to be embroidered 1 in order to permit the removal of the needle by means of the needle holder of the co-operating embroidering hand operating at the opposite side of said cloth. The corresponding operations to be performed by the axially movable short shaft 30 of the needle holder are effected by the lever 35 in combination with a lever-operating spring device in dependence from the driving mechanism or the embroidering machine as will be hereinafter described.

A toothed wheel 23 on the driving shaft 4 meshes with a rack 42 which at 43 is connected to a rod 44. This rod is slidably mounted in a corresponding hole of the cross member '45 of a frame 45 secured to the guide plate 21 of the embroidering hand and by means of a crossmember 41 is secured to a casing '48. Within the frame 4-5 the rod 44 carries a fixed washer 49 and is sure rounded by a coil spring 50 which at one end abuts against said washer, whereas its opposite end abuts against the cross wall 5| of a casing 52 secured to the frame 45, said cross wall 5i having a central hole for the passage of the rod 44. The casing 48 which is secured to the cross member 41 of the rod 44 and which is guided by adjacent portions of the frame 28, contains a strong pressure spring 53 and a relatively weak pressure spring 54 (Figure 2a). The coil spring 53 acts upon a disk 55 provided with a central rod '55, whereas the coil spring 54 acts inthe same direc; tion upon a disk 51 provided with acentral rod 6 58, the free end of this rod being in contact with an abutment 59 of the lever 35 (Figure 2) and this abutment comprises a curved portion 60 capable of suppressing the pressure exerted by the springs 53, 54 upon the lever 35 when the casing 45 is moved slightly to the left (Figure 3) so that the free end of the rod 58 is in alignment with the curved portion 69 of the abutment 59. The lever 35 which is pivotally mounted on a bracket 6|, is further acted upon by a spring 62 in such a manner that the front end of said lever is disengaged from the gudgeon 34 as soon as the.

pressure of the springs 53, 54is suppressed as aforesaid.

As has been previously pointed out, for the purpose of adjusting the needle 32 in the needle holder 30, 30a, the pressure upon the axially mov able short shaft 30 has to be released This is performed by suppressing the action of the strong pressure coil spring 53 and by causing the weak pressure spring 54 to act alone upon the lever 35. For this purpose the free end of the rod 55 is provided with a groove 63 which is engaged by the front end of a lever 64 pivoted at 65 in a supporting member 65 secured to the guide plate 27 of the embroidering hand. The rear end of the lever 64 comprises a chamfered end portion '5'! which co-operates with a, cha'mfered stop rod 58 fixedly mounted in a rear cross portion 69 of the stationary guide member 26 (Figure 3 As will be readily understood from the Figure 2, as soon as the embroidering hand i. e. guide plate 21, frame 28, arms 28, needle holder 30, etc, casing 48 with the springs 53, 54-, cross member 4?, rod 44, casing 52 with the spring 56, and frame 45, in its backward movement brings the end portion 51 of the lever 64 into contact with the free end of the stop rod 68 said lever 64 will be moved so as to shift the rod 55 and disk 55 and to thereby Sl3113p1'eSS the action of the strong pressure spring 5 The afore-mentioned cross portion 69 carries an adjustable rod 19 for counteracting a possible extension of the spring 50 during the backward stroke of the embroidering hand, and another adjustable rod H (Figures 1, 2, 3) which cooperates with a needle-adjusting rod 12 movably mounted in suitable supports 13, and provided at its front end with a bent portion 14. This rod 12 is surrounded by a coil spring 15 arranged between an adjustable stop member 76 and the front sup ort 13. when the embroidering hand moves backwards, the rod 12 making contact with the rod H is pushed forward and is caused to act upon the needle 32 in the needle holder 30, see. when the embroider-mg hand moves to its foremost position, the spring 75 reestablishes the normal position of the normal positions of the rod 12.

Each embroider'ing hand I is associated with a thread-pulling lever 5, by means of which the embroidery thread 11' is pulled through the cloth I after each stitch of the needle 32. The lever 6 is secured to a friction disk 75 mounted on a short shaft T3 in friction contact with a "toothed wheel f80. This toothed wheel meshes with a pinion like that 24 of the driving shaft '5 (Figure 1) so that the rotation of the latter is imparted by friction to the disk 78 and lever G. The connection between the level 6 and the friction "disk 18 includes a spring-loaded articulation as shown at 8| in Figure 3 and capable of permitting the lever 6 an oscillatory movement in addition to its rotary movement, as will be explained later "on. The free end or the fever 6 carries a loose roller 82 for engaging the embroidery thread 11, for which guide rollers 83, 84 are provided at suitable points as shown in Figures 1 and 3 for avoiding the thread to become entangled during the operation of the machine. An adjustable lever 85 provided at its free end with a projecting arm 86 (Figures 2 and 3) limits the backward stroke of the lever B. A screw 81 (Figure 2) serves for regulating the friction between the disk 18 and the wheel 80. The friction between these members l8 and 80 is so adjusted that the same is insufficient to move the lever 6 beyond a point determined by the length of the embroidery thread. Due to this feature, the lever 8 is enabled to stop its backward movement at any point in accordance with the decreasing length of the embroidery thread, whereas during the forward movement of said lever i. e. when the thread is pulled by the lever 6 associated with the opposite co-operating embroidering hand, the friction between the members 18 and 80 assists in moving the lever to its foremost position and thereby avoids a tension being produced in the embroidering thread. It will be understood that in the co-operation of two opposite embroidering hands and of their associated thread-pulling levers the friction between the members 18 and 80 of one lever will practically compensate the friction between the same members of the opposite lever, and that for this reason there must be an additional force for moving the lever of each embroidering hand during its backward or threadpulling stroke. For this reason a driving lever 88 is provided in combination with each threadpulling lever and is fixedly secured to the toothed wheel 88. The free end of the lever 88 is provided with a laterally projecting forked portion 89 including an elastic pawl 98 (Fig. 2), which is adjustable by means of a screw 9i or in another manner and by which the thread-pulling lever 6 is engaged-as seen on the left hand side of Figure 1and withdrawn until this lever 6 reaches its position determined by the length of the thread 11, in which moment the resistance of this thread causes the pawl 90 to disengage the lever 6 so that the latter may stop its backward movement. It will be understood that the energy of the elastic pawl 98 must be just sufiicient to pull the embroidery thread, but insufficient to tear the thread H.

In Figure 1 the thread-pulling levers G associated with the two co-operating embroidering hands I are shown in their end positions, and as will be seen in said figure, the thread-pulling lever of the left embroidering hand has its guide roller 82 situated below the needle holder. For being brought into this position while the needle holder is situated adjacent the cloth i, it is necessary that the thread-pulling lever 6 during its movement from the rear to the front position be laterally deviated so that the guide roller 82 may pass by the supporting arms 29 of the needle holder. For this purpose a spring-loaded plate 92 having a curved edge is pivotally mounted on the support 25 or guide member 25 and by its spring is normally held in a position at an angle of 90 to said support and guide member, so that the lever B sliding along the curved edge thereof due to its spring loaded link 8I (Figure 3) moves outwards and thereafter inwards and that thus its guide roller 82 moves past the supporting arms 28.

During the backward movement of the embroidering hand, a hook member 93 secured to the frame 28 moves the plate 92 to a position par- 8 allel to the parts 25, 26 so that the lever 6 may execute its thread-pulling stroke without contacting said plate and without being swung outwardly.

Each embroidering hand is completed by a guide member 94 secured to a stationary part such as support 25 or guide member 26 in such a manner that its upright portion is situated adjacent the cloth I to be embroidered. The upright portion of the member 94 is provided with an eye for the passage of the embroidering needle 32. It will be understood that the eyes of the guide members 94 of co-operating embroidering hands have to be in correct alignment, and with regard hereto each embroidering hand is provided with a pair of set screws 95 (Figure 4) The operation of the embroidering machine according to the invention and as hereinbefore described is as follows:

For simplifying the description, to the reference numerals of the parts belonging to the left embroidering hand I have added the character L and to those of the parts belonging to the right embroidering hand I have added the character R. Referring to Figure l, the embroidering hand IL is shown in its advanced position i. e. adjacent the cloth 7, whereas the embroidering hand IR. is in its withdrawn position; the same refers also to the respective thread-pulling levers 6L and 6B. During the backward movement of the embroidering hand IR the needle 32 has been inverted and has been adjusted in its position in the respective needle holder by the adjusting rod 72R, so that this embroidering hand IR is in conditions for producing the next stitch, while the embroidering hand IL adjacent the cloth I is waiting for the needle 32.

The cam disk I4 now starts rotating in clockwise direction from the position as shown. The cam groove I5 first moves the rack IBR outwardly and by means of the gearing 20R, 22R, 23R and the rack 42R moves the embroidering hand IR to its advanced position adjacent the cloth 7, while the thread-pulling lever 6R remains in its withdrawn position until the pin I'IR of the rack I9R reaches the point ISA of the cam groove I6. At this moment the lever 8R receives a sudden small forward push causing the same to release the embroidering thread 11 and thereafter the rack IQR. is slowly moved outwardly, whereby said lever GR is gradually moved to its advanced position. During this movement of the lever 6R the cam grooves I5 and I6 move the racks I8L and ISL inwardly which in turn by means of the gearings 20L, 22L, 23L and 2IL, 24L move the embroidering hand IL and the thread-pulling lever 6L to their withdrawn positions, The continuous rotation of the cam disk I4 due to the special form of the cam grooves I5 and I6 impart to the racks I8L, I9L and I8R, ISR reciprocating movements which cause the driving shafts 4L, 5L and 4R, 5R to rotate in one and the opposite direction, thereby producing the reciprocating movements of the embroidering hands and their thread-pulling levers.

As has been already explained, during the backward movement of each embroidering hand, the needle holder 30, 30a due to the co-operation of the ratchet wheels 40 with the rack members 4| and of the cam members 35 with the springloaded levers 31 is caused to make one half of a revolution and to move the needle 32 longitudinally over an angle of so as to invert its position. It has been further explained that at the end of this backward stroke of the embroidering hand, the pressure of the strong pressure spring 53 upon the lever 35 is suppressed by the cooperation of the lever 64 with the stop rod 58 and that at this moment the needle 32 in the needle holder is pushed forward by the adjusting rod '12. The pressure of the spring 53 upon the lever 35 is re-established as soon as the embroidering hand moves to its advanced position. But immediately after this advanced position has been reached, by means of the rod 44, cross member 41 and casing 48, the spring-loaded rod 58 is still slightly advanced so that its free end is in alignment with the curved portion 69 of the abutment 59 of the lever 35, in which moment the springs 53, 54 do not act anymore upon the lever 35 and the latter is disengaged by the spring 62 from the gudgeon 34 of the axially movable short shaft 30, with the result that now the needle holder is entirely released and does not exert any pressure upon the needle 32.

As soon as the needle holder of the embroidering hand IR has been effected as hereinbefore explained, the driving shaft 'iL starts the return movement of the embroidering hand IL. This return movement begins with a slight withdrawal of .the spring-loaded rod 58 efiected by the spring 50 in the casing 52, with the result that the full pressure of the springs 53, 54 is applied to the lever before the proper return movement of the embroiderin hand IL starts and that now the needle is firmly grasped by the needle holder of said embroidering hand. Thus it will be understood that the operations of closing and releasing the needle holders of the embroidering hands are not directly effected by the driving mechanism of the embroidering machine. but by the intervention of the spring 50, and that due to this feature closing of the needle holder is instantaneous with the advantageous result that the threaded needle 32 is firmly grasped before the proper return movement of the needle holder starts.

It will be understood that the present invention is by no means restricted to the specific em bodiment as described and shown, but that alterations and amendments may be made therein, and that such alterations and amendments have to be considered as falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Embroidering machine comprising at least one pair of co-operating mechanical embroidering hands each provided with a pair of rotative members for providing a needle holder capable of handling a usual threaded embroidering needle between abutting ends of said rotative members and of inverting the direction of the same after each stitch through a cloth to be embroidered, a thread-pulling lever associated with each embroidering hand, and a mechanically operating driving mechanism in operative connection with both the embroidering hands and the threadpulling levers for reciprocating said hands and oscillating said levers; transmission means provided in each embroidering hand for imparting to its needle holder one half of a revolution derived from the linear movement of the reciprocating embroidering hand, and a spring device incorporated in each embroidering hand for operating a lever capable of controlling the needle holder in said embroidering hand.

2. Embroidering machine comprising at least one pair of co-operating mechanical embroidering hands each provided with a pair of rotative members for providing a needle holder capable of handling a usual threaded embroidering needle between abutting ends of said rotative members and of inverting the direction of the same after each stitch through a cloth to be embroidered, said needle holder being formed by a pair of rotatively mounted coaxial short shafts and having one of these shafts arranged for an additional axial displacement for opening and closing the needle holder, a thread-pulling lever associated with each embroidering hand, and a mechanically operating driving mechanism in operative connection with both the embroidering hands and the thread-pulling levers for recip rocating said hands and oscillating said levers; transmission means provided in each embroidering hand for imparting to its needle holder one half of a revolution derived from the linear movement of the reciprocating embroidering hand, and a spring device incorporated in each embroidering hand for operating a lever capable of controlling the needle holder in said embroidering hand.

3. Embroidering machine comprising at least one pair of co-operating mechanical embroidering hands each provided with a pair of rotative members for providing a needle holder capable of handling a usual threaded embroidering needle between abutting ends of said rotative members and of inverting the direction of the same after each stitch through a cloth to be embroidered, said needle holder being formed by a pair of rotatively mounted coaxial short shafts and having one of these shafts arranged for an additional axial displacement for opening and closing the needle holder, the abutting ends of said two shafts being provided each with a transverse groove to form between the two shaft ends a small channel for receiving said embroidering needle; a thread-pulling lever associated with each embroidering hand, and a mechanically operating driving mechanism in operative connection with both the embroidering hands and the thread-pulling levers for reciprocating said hands and oscillating said levers; transmission means provided in each embroidering hand for imparting to its needle holder one half of a revolution derived from the linear movement of the reciprocating embroidering hand, and a spring device incorporated in each embroidering hand for operating a lever capable of controlling the needle holder in said embroidering hand.

4. Embroidering machine comprising at least one pair of co-operating mechanical embroidering hands each provided with a pair of rotative members for providing a needle holder capable of handling a usual threaded embroidering needle between abutting ends of said rotative members and of inverting the direction of the same after each stitch through ajcloth to be embroidered, said needle holder being formed by a pair of rotatively mounted co-axial short shafts and having one of these shafts arranged for an additional axial displacement for opening and closing the needle holder, the abutting ends of said two shafts being provided each with a transverse groove to form between the two shaft ends a small channel for receiving said embroidering needle and being additionally provided with vertical grooves which on one shaft surface are laterally displaced with regard to the grooves of the opposite shaft surface so as to provide for a mutual engagement of the shaft ends a thread-pulling lever associated with each embroidering hand,

and a mechanically operating driving mechanism in operative connection with both the embrcidering hands and the thread-pulling levers for reciprocating said hands and oscillating said levers; transmission means provided in each embroidering hand for imparting to its needle holder one half of a revolution derived from the linear movement of the reciprocating embroidering hand, and spring device incorporated in each embroidering hand for operating a lever capable of controlling the needle holder in said embroidering hand.

5. Embroidering machine comprising at least one pair of co-operating mechanical embroidering hands each provided with a pair of rotative members for providing a needle holder capable of handling a usual threaded embroidering needle between abutting ends of said rotative members and of inverting the direction of the same after each stitch through a cloth to be embroidered, said needle holder being formed by a pair of rotatively mounted coaxial short shafts and having one of these shafts arranged for an additional axial displacement for opening and closing the needle holder, the abutting ends of said two shafts being provided with groove means for grasping said embroidering needle; a thread-pulling lever associated with each embroidering hand and provided with a guide roller for engaging the embroidery thread, a friction disk for mounting and oscillating said lever and a driven toothed wheel in friction contact with said friction disk, an oscillatory arm secured to said driven toothed wheel for assisting said friction disk in moving said lever in its thread-pulling operation; a mechanically operating driving mechanism in operative connection with both the embroidering hands and the thread-pulling levers for reciprocating said hands and oscillating said levers; transmission means provided in each embroidering hand for imparting to its needle holder one half of a revolution derived from the linear movement of the reciprocating embroidering hand, and a spring device incorporated in each embroidering hand for operating a lever capable of controlling the needle holder in said embroidering hand.

6. Embroidering machine comprising at least one pair of co-operating mechanical embroidering hands each provided with a pair of rotative members for providing a needle holder capable of handling a usual threaded embroider-ing needle between abutting ends of said rotative members and of inverting the direction of the same after each stitch through a cloth to be embroidered, said needle holder being formed by a pair of rotatively mounted coaxial short shafts and having one of these shafts arranged for an additional axial displacement for opening and closing the needle holder, the abutting ends of said two shafts being provided with groove means for grasping said embroidering needle; a threadpulling lever associated with each embroidering hand and provided at its free end with a guide roller for engaging the embroidery thread, a rotative friction disk for mounting and oscillating said lever and a driven toothed wheel in friction contact with said friction disk, an oscillatory arm secured to said toothed wheel for assistin said friction disk in moving said lever in its thread-pulling operation, said oscillatory arm being provided at its free end with a forked portion including an elastic pawl for engaging said thread-pulling lever during its thread-pulling operation, and screw means in connection with said friction disk for adjusting its friction contact with said driven toothed wheel; a mechanically operating driving mechanism in operative connection with both the embroidering hands and the thread-pulling levers for reciprocating said hands and oscillating said levers; transmission means provided in each embroidering hand for imparting to its needle holder one half of a revolution derived from the linear movement of the reciprocating embroidering hand, and a spring device incorporated in each embroidering hand for operating a lever capable of controlling the needle holder in said embroidering hand.

7. Em'broidering machine comprising at least one pair of co-operating mechanical embroidering hands each provided with a pair of rotative members for providing a needle holder capable of handling a usual threaded embroider-ing needle between abutting ends of said rotative members and of inverting the direction of the same after each stitch through a cloth to be embroidered, said needle holder being formed by a pair of rotatively mounted coaxial short shafts and having one of these shafts arranged for an additional axial displacement for opening and (21051115; the needle holder, the abutting ends of said two shafts being provided with groove means for grasping said embroidering needle; a threadpulling lever associated with each embroidering hand and provided at its free end with a guide roller for engaging the embroidery thread, friction means and an oscillatory arm for operating said thread-pulling lever from a driven toothed wheel; a mechanically operating driving mechanism in operative connection with said driven toothed wheel of each thread-pulling lever and with a rack means on each embroidering hand, said driving mechanism including a cam disk with two cam grooves out into the same, rack means provided with pins for engaging said cam grooves and meshing with toothed wheels which form parts of gearings for operating two pairs of driving shafts, one pair for the embroidering hands arranged at opposite side of the said cloth and the other pair for the thread-pulling levers associated with said embroidering hands; transmission means provided in each embroidering hand for imparting to its needle holder one half of a revolution derived from the linear movement of the reciprocating embroidering hand, and a spring device incorporated in each embroidering hand for operating a lever capable of controlling the needle holder in said embroidering hand.

8. Embroidering machine comprising at least one pair of co-operating mechanical embroidering hands each provided with a pair of rotative members for providing a needle holder capable of handling a usual threaded embroidering needle between abutting ends of said rotative members and of inverting the direction of the same after each stitch through a cloth to be embroidered, said needle holder being formed by a pair of rotatively mounted coaxial short shafts and having one of these shafts arranged for an additional axial displacement for opening and closing the needle holder, the abutting ends of said two shafts being provided with groove means for grasping said embroidering needle; a threadpulling lever associated with each embroidering hand and provided at its free end with a guide roller for engaging the embroidery thread, friction means and an oscillatory arm for operating said thread-pulling lever from a driven toothed wheel; a mechanically operating driving mechanism in operative connection with said driven toothed wheel of each thread-pulling lever and with a rack means on each embroidering hand, said driving mechanism including a cam disk with two cam grooves cut into the same, rack means provided with pins for engaging said cam grooves and meshing with toothed wheels which form parts of gearings for operating two pairs of driving shafts, one pair for the embroidering hands arranged at opposite side of the said cloth and th other pair for the thread-pulling levers associated with said embroidering hands; transmission means provided in each embroidering hand for imparting to its needle holder one half of a revolution derived from the linear movement of the reciprocating embroidering hand, said transmission means comprising a ratchet wheel and a cam member provided on each short shaft of the needle holder and for co-operating therewith a pair of spring-loaded rack members and two pairs of spring-loaded levers, respectively; and a spring device incorporated in each embroidering hand for operating a lever capable of controlling the needle holder in said embroidering hand.

9. Embroidering machine comprising at least one pair of co-operating mechanical embroidering hands each provided with a pair of rotative members for providing a needle holder capable of handling a usual threaded embroidering needle between abutting ends of said rotative members and of inverting the direction of the same after each stitch through a cloth to be embroidered, said needle holder being formed by a pair of rotatively mounted coaxial short shafts and having one of these shafts arranged for an additional axial displacement for opening and closing the needle holder, the abutting ends of said two shafts being provided with groove means for grasping said embroidering needle; transmission means provided in each embroidering hand in connection with said two short shafts for imparting to the needle holder with the embroidering needle engaged thereby one half of a revolution derived by the linear movement of the embroidering hand; a thread-pulling lever associated with each embroidering hand and a mechanically operating driving mechanism in operative connection with both the embroidering hands and the thread-pulling levers for reciprocating said hands and oscillating said levers; a. spring device incorporated in each embroidering hand for operating a control lever in contact with the free end of the said axially displaceable short shaft of the needle holder of said embroidering hand, said spring device comprising a strong pressure spring and a weak pressure spring acting upon abutting individual rods, the free end of the rod of the weak pressure spring being in contact with said control lever and the free end of the rod of said strong pressure spring being engaged by a lever capable of suppressing the pressure of said strong pressure spring for causing said control lever to release the pressure upon the said axially displaceable short shaft.

10. Embroidering machine, according to claim 9, wherein the said spring device comprises a slidable casing containing said strong pressure coil spring and said weak pressure coil spring and wherein the said individual rods are provided with individual disks of different diameter, the smaller disk being contacted by said strong pressure spring and the larger disk by said weak ressure disk.

11. Embroidering machine, according to claim 9, wherein the said spring device comprises a slidable casing containing said strong pressure spring and said weak pressure spring and individual rods as referred to acted upon by said springs, said casing being connected by a cross member and a spring-loaded connecting rod to a driving rack of the embroidering hand in which said spring device is incorporated.

12. Embroidering machine, according to claim 9, wherein the said control lever comprises an abutment for being engaged by the rod of the weak pressure spring as referred to of the said spring device and said abutment includes a curved portion for the disengagement of said rod when the said casing containing the strong and weak pressure springs is displaced from its normal osition.

13. Embroidering machine, according to claim 9, wherein the said pressure-suppressing lever is disposed in alignment with a stop rod capable of operating said lever when the embroidering hand in which the said spring device is incorporated is moved to its withdrawn position.

14. Embroidering machine, according to claim 9, wherein the said control lever is provided with an additional spring for its disengagement from the said axially displaceable short shaft of the needle holder.

15. Embroidering machine, according to claim 9, wherein an adjustable rod is provided for limitgig (the backward stroke of each embroidering 16. Embroidering machine, according to claim 9, wherein each embroidering hand comprises a spring-loaded adjusting rod for adjusting the embroidering needle in the needle holder.

17. Embroidering machine, according to claim 9, wherein for each thread-pulling lever an adjustable arm is provided for limiting the backward movement of said thread-pulling lever.

18. Embroidering machine, according to claim 6, wherein each embroidering hand is provided with a spring-loaded plate having a curved edge for causing the thread-pulling lever associated with said embroidering hand to be swung outwardly when moving from its rear to its front 7 position.

EUGENIO GERBER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 443,820 Buss et al Dec. 30, 1890 1,523,535 Eberhardt Jan. 20, 1925 

